None of these has a direct correspondence with Valkyr’s story, which is pure fiction. I am not a knowledgeable enough historian to make a good allegorist. Two other debts I have to acknowledge here. One is to J.R.R. Tolkien—even in the dark reaches of dead space, I found it entirely necessary to include a dream of Minas Tirith. The other is to the great Ursula K. Le Guin, from whose writings I learned the phrase “social science fiction.” I apologize unreservedly for the many errors and implausibilities found in this story. I am afraid to say that the technology of shadowspace runs on purest
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